


A Step Towards the Future

by Glueblade



Category: Radiant Historia
Genre: AU - Canon Divergence, Gen, Spoilers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-03
Updated: 2019-09-03
Packaged: 2020-10-06 07:22:31
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,332
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20503082
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Glueblade/pseuds/Glueblade
Summary: With her coronation approaching, Eruca must decide what to do with Granorg's two most prominent statesmen. Stocke recommends execution, but Eruca is determined to find another way.Exploring what might have happened if Dias and Selvan made it through the game alive.





	A Step Towards the Future

Eruca strode towards the interrogation room, her cape billowing in the wind created by her quick steps. With her coronation approaching, the responsibility she had decided to shoulder became more and more real. Leading a rebellion was one thing, but leading a nation, especially getting a war-torn country back on its feet, was a different, much greater challenge. 

She stopped at the door, determination threatening to falter. Her brother's words were ringing in her ears. 

"I still say you should execute them," Stocke had noted matter-of-factly, leaning back casually in his chair across from her at the table. Despite the memory loss, her brother still had a keen understanding of Granorg politics. He had displayed no interest in taking over the throne, but had advised her extensively over the past few days.

He had been resolved to kill Dias and Selvan then and there when they had been captured following their attempted coup, but Eruca had interfered. Strangely enough, while she had her fair share of resentment, built up over long months of trying to establish at least a little order and goodness in Protea's court, she had never wanted them put to death.

And so, that was the decision she had made. They were her political enemies, but they were skilled statesmen nonetheless. If only she could prevail on them to work for her, Granorg's recovery might be all the swifter. But if they continued to conspire to take the throne, the political situation would grow precariously unstable. Maybe her brother was more used to making hard decisions or maybe she was too idealistic. Perhaps she just wanted to do something that she knew her brother wouldn't.

If she could gain Dias and Selvan's loyalty, it'd be some way of proving to herself that there was meaning in her being queen, that maybe she could do things her brother couldn't (or wouldn't) have. She looked up to him, but if she was to be queen, she had to believe that there was value in her way of doing things as well.

She steeled herself and entered the room. Selvan was sitting at the table in the center, handcuffed and with two guards at the door watching him closely. He turned to look at her with eyes that were at once calculating and straining to look disinterested. Eruca sat down opposite him, making sure to do so slowly and deliberately in order to mask how tense she was.

"Selvan," she began, pointedly omitting the title he was stripped of, "there is something I would discuss with you." Selvan took a moment to study her and didn't answer.

Trying her best not to let Selvan's attitude irritate her, she kept on speaking, going through the words she had repeated in her head many times.

"As you might know, Granorg is currently in quite a state of disarray, in part, of course, thanks to your doings." The corner of Selvan's mouth twitched at that statement.

Before he could speak, Eruca continued, "Don't claim you were just a loyal servant trying to make the best of the situation. That'll only fool someone who hasn't spent years watching you steer Protea in the direction you wanted," she said coldly.

"It is my intention to rule justly and bring Granorg back to prosperity. Despite all you've done, you are undoubtedly skilled at policymaking. If you are willing to leave your scheming behind, I am offering you a position as an assistant in the rebuilding committee." 

One of the things Stocke had been absolutely firm on was not to let Dias and Selvan out of her sight. Her initial idea was to task them with rebuilding one of the surrounding small towns that had suffered heavily during the war, but as Stocke had put it "leaving them unattended is only an invitation for them to find a way to cause trouble. If you absolutely must keep them alive, at least have them somewhere where you can keep an eye on them."

Selvan took a moment to look her in the eyes with a carefully maintained neutral expression. The sheer amount of cold calculation was intimidating, but Eruca forced herself to meet his eyes without betraying a hint of her unease. 

"And what awaits me if I refuse?"

"Execution", Eruca replied quietly, but firmly. A heavy silence hung in the air for a few tense seconds. 

"What about Dias?", he asked in place of an answer.

"He will be made the same offer as you," she replied noncommittally.

"So our gracious Queen, she who brings light to this dark kingdom, believes that she can convince Dias to abandon his pride to grovel at your feet for forgiveness?" Selvan's face contorted into an ugly, taunting grin.

Eruca felt some of the rage from when Selvan and Protea had continuously obstructed her attempts at introducing some of her own policies rise within her, but forced it down.

"I will offer my mercy and there will be no need for groveling."

Selvan's eyes were fixed on her as his features slowly smoothened.

"Please do," he said. He wasn't able to maintain the mockery in his voice.

Eruca couldn't do much but stare at the table and try to steady her nerves in the short interval between Selvan leaving the room and Dias being brought in. Dias was at once more prideful than Selvan and appeared to have a personal grudge against the Granorg royal family. While she could appeal to Selvan's pragmatism, Dias's pride was another kind of enemy entirely. She wasn't sure if she could convince Dias to abandon his principles or his animosity towards her.

When he entered the room, Dias immediately glared at her with contempt. Even after several weeks in prison, his pale blue eyes had lost none of their disdain. He sat down, flipping his tangled hair out of his face with a slight jerk of his head as he did so. Even in simple clothes and with dirt in his hair, it was easy to see why so many in Granorg had fallen for him, Selvan included. There were many baseless rumours floating around at court, but this one she believed to be true. Dias was undeniably good-looking, and this made him dangerous. Eruca was well-aware how shallow people could be, refusing to see any hint of badness in a beautiful person. Even so, she had made her decision.

"I'd choose death over bowing down to the likes of you," he hissed when she broached the subject. Bruised pride was an ugly beast. Eruca clenched her jaws. It was by far not the first time she'd been attacked in this manner, but it was still hard not to flinch when someone spat cruel words at her. She steadied her breathing and chose not to engage him on that level.

"Selvan doesn't seem to agree with you on that matter," she commented, forcing her voice to stay even. Dias's scornful face froze. 

"I'm offering you a future, Dias. Both of you."

"Am I supposed to believe that? As if your little family hasn't always been good at discarding people as soon as they ceased being useful."

"I'm afraid you don't have much choice. If you cannot trust me, perhaps you could place your affection for Selvan a little higher than your disdain for me. Either way, you'll get an opportunity to help rebuild the country that you claim to love."

Dias glared at her with gritted teeth. Eruca offered nothing further. Sometimes the best negotiation strategy was to let the other stew for a while.

It was a grueling few minutes of silence, but eventually, Dias agreed.

Once she was out of the room, she breathed a long sight of relief, then made her way to her balcony that provided a view over the city and beyond. There was still a long road ahead, one that might yet be abruptly cut short. But she had taken the first step towards the country she hoped Granorg could be.


End file.
